Daylight
by MelloYellowGirl
Summary: Daylight loses everything precious to her when the Adversary attacks her kingdom. She manages to escape with nothing but her life to the so-called safe haven of Fabletown. This is her story. A Drabble challenge from Lunaescence: 100 Drabble Adventure: by SubtleQuirk.
1. Lost and Found

Lost and Found: Daylight

The stench from the nearby trash cans is what hit me first, but then again I guess that's a fitting analogy for the Pudding and Pie: trash. The crispy winter air washed over my skin as the heavy rain pelted against it: reflecting my mood I suppose. Is that irony? Mhm... Even after a few months of living amongst the mundies I can never seem to understand it.

"Hey Hun! What's a pretty girl like you doing at this shit whole?!"

The deep tone came from behind me. I am surprise to see a young woman a little taller than me, with white hair and a beautiful butterfly tattoo dashing across her chest. My blue eyes narrow at her. Is she being sarcastic? I'm sure she is because I'm still wearing the tattered gown I was wearing when I fled from the homelands. It had once been a simple, but elegant, light blue gown with a swirly floral pattern dancing up from the skirt to the bodice; now it's flat, ripped, dull and quiet frankly in tatters. The once bright blue was soiled with dirt and blood. The blood of...

"Why the long face Hun?"

I jumped at the voice. The woman was so much more closer than before. Her face is well controlled, unreadable, but her eyes are surprisingly soft and gentle. Could I trust her? Is she even a fable? I glance back over my shoulder at the Pudding and Pie; the place I am about to sell my body to. Who cares who she is. It's worth taking a chance with this woman instead of Georgie... Right?

"My family are dead... I've... I've left my home behind."

The woman's stock expression broke at those words as she wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"So you are a...?"

She trails off she looks sternly at me as if she is trying to determine something. Oh! I know!

"You're a Fable too?!"

She offers me a small smile and nods.

"So you're new here. You been to the offices yet?"

"Yes, I'm one a list... Whatever that means..."

She scowls and shakes her head.

"Typical. Well... Why don't you come with me? I can sort you out."

I tilt my head to the side. Sort out? That's a very strange thing to say? Is it a Mundy term?

"Yeah. I could always use an extra pair of hands at my bar. Come work for me and I'll give you room and bored. Well... When I say room it's just the back room, but it's gotta be better than this, right?"

I look over my shoulder to where she is gesturing. Better than the Pudding and Pie? Anything but starving to death is.

"Ok. But I have to ask... Why are you helping me? You could have just walked past, or ignored me, so many others have, but you didn't."

She removes her arm from me and frowns.

"I... I lost someone to this city. Maybe I can't help her anymore, but I found you."

My heart gets warm at those word. So there are still good people out here.

"My names Holly. What's yours Hun?"

"Daylight."

She raises an eyebrow at that, I don't get why, is my name not normal?

"How about... Sunny? New name for a new start?"

I slowly nod to that. It sounds good. New name to a new start. My new start in Fabletown.


	2. Smile

Smile: Daylight

The smell of stale beer and smoke hit me like a brick wall. It's always the smells of these places that gets me first. Starting to think I'm secretly a wolf instead of a princess.

"So this is the bar. You'll mainly be serving drinks or snack here and maybe lending a sympathetic ear to our more... Mundane customers. They love the idea of having a pretty girl paying attention to them; best way to empty their wallets."

I nod along to Holly's commentary while hovering behind her and letting my eyes wander. Despite the smell it seems like a cosy place. It's got some private booths, a nice gold maroon colour scheme, and a good heat about the place. Behind the bar there are a dozen or so pictures of people. Must be regular customers.

"Smile!"

"Wha...?!"

I zone back in again to be put in a daze with a bright light. I wince while rubbing my eyes. Holly laughs.

"You look like a fish!"

She laughs as she waves a piece of paper up and down. She turns her back to me and pins the paper on the wall next to the pictures. My hair is a blond blur, eyes unfocused and dilated, lips parted and dirt still smeared across my face. I didn't look like a fish, I look high.

"H-Holly! Take it down! I look horrible!"

"I said smile."

Holly wears a large smirk. I scowl back at her, she simply laughs out right at me.

"Aw Hun you're like a kicked puppy! Relax! I take another one of you in your new uniform!"

I could feel my stomach twist into knots.

"Uniform?"

Holly pauses to regard me then turns her back and walks through the back door.

"Come on, your room's through back."


	3. Competition

Competition: Daylight

It's been five days since Holly took me in. I've adapt to the small 'room' I've been given. It's not what I am used to but it beats the cardboard I had when I first got to Fabletown. The room basically consists of a bed and wardrobe. That's it. And inside said wardrobe was two outfits: a causal white summer dress with a leather jacket and a pair of plan black dollies, and my old ripped gown. Holly said I should through away my gown since she gave me a dress of her sisters, but I can't bring myself to. Not yet at least.

"Lookin' fine Hun. Ready to start?"

I turn around to see Holly at the door to the bar. I regard my uniform with a small smile. Black vest with matching pencil skirt and dolly shoes and a long sleeved white shirt to through over it. Very sophisticated for a bar tender.

"Yeah."

I place my 'service smile' on as I stroll into the bar behind Holly.

"Hey Sunny!"

I smile genuinely at the BFG and his smaller friend.

"Hey Woody, Gren."

Woody has been nothing but nice to me since I met him. It's only been four days since I met him but he already treats me like a little sister. Gren seems a little unsure of me, but then again Holly told me he's naturally quiet and most of the time just likes to be left in his own space. To each of there own I guess.

"Sunny."

Gren nods at me, to which I nod subtlety back. A wolf whistle caught my attention before I could start up a conversation with the Fable regulars. It is a bunch of rowdy men in the corner booth. I look over to Holly who simply gestures for me to keep my chin up. She told me before that confidence is key, that a little cheeky smile or wink can make a difference between getting a one dollar or ten dollar tip. I turn my head to the side, close my eyes and take a deep breath to compose myself before swirling around with a dazzling smile and strutting over to the men. As I did, I can hear Woody and Gren bantering.

"Up for some friendly competition?"

"What you have in mind?"

"Twenty bucks she bottles it."

I tilt my head slightly at that to look at them. So much for Woody being nice. Ass. Gren on the other hand caught my eye and flashes me a small smirk, then winks.

"You're on Woody."

Gren's only accepting the bet because he know I over heard them. Well Woody, prepare to lose twenty bucks.

"So what can I get for you Hunny?"


	4. Honesty

Honesty: Daylight

"Well in all honesty... That was the best performance every Sunny."

Gren stands up and dramatically bows to me as Holly ushers out the last of the mundane customers.

"Dammit."

Woody curses and slaps a twenty dollar bill into Gren's hand.

"You bet against me Woody?! Uh! I'm hurt!"

My voice takes on it's own performance as I grasp my heart tightly with both hands. Woody's eyes narrow.

"You knew!"

"Yup overhear ya's talking and..."

'Shake. Shake. Shake.'

Holly's rattling of the tip tin caught my attention.

"You did good kid. Come on we split all tips. Looks like you'll be able to buy yourself something nice tomorrow."

My eyes light up at the prospect. I practically skip over to Holly to receive my cut. Woody and Gren stand up at this point and make their way to the front door.

"Night Girls."

Holly's head snaps towards Woody at those words.

"Hey! Who you calling 'girls'?!"

Woody quickly ducks out of Holly's range, while Gren simply nods to us before exiting out behind Woody. I give one last wave and then turn my attention back on the cash.

"Here. Fifty bucks, your cut."

I did not even attempt to hide the smile forming on my face.

"I'll be honest kid. I didn't think you'd be up to this kind of work. I thought you'd bottle it in a week."

I frown a little at this.

"Why did you think that?"

"I know you're story. The princess cursed to walk the night, saved by a prince who wants to marry her. You've lived a sheltered life, haven't you?"

My eyes have gone wide at her words, but then they shrink as they wander down to the ring tied on a piece of string around my neck.

"N-Not sheltered... More lonely. I was on my own... For so long. I've found it hard to understand the mundane way to do things. Which is why... I've been so lost."

A gasp escapes my lips at the warmth feeling that engulfs me.

"Holly...?"

Her arms are wrapped around me tightly.

"You... You're not lost anymore."


	5. Reward

Reward: Daylight

A large yawn forces itself past my lips. I hate how shops are only open during the day. I'm a night owl doomed to fly through these bustling streets to access shops for food... Maybe a book too... Oh or a new pair of shoes!

'Gasp!'

A strong force hits me, sending me tumbling towards the ground, only for another force to pull me back to my feet before my face could meet the ground.

"Aw shit."

A musky smokey smell batters against my senses. My eyes flutter back open to be met with a males chest. They trail up to see the rugged face of the giant looming over me. He is taller then Gren, but shorter than Woody. His eyes are closed as he takes a deep breath.

"Fable."

His eyes shot open when he spoke.

"I-I'm s-sorry...?"

I'm not quiet sure if I'm apologising for bumping into him or asking him what he meant. This man can't be a mundane but then who is he.

"No. I'm sorry. My fault wasn't paying attention."

He shakes his head as if to physically wake himself up.

"You a night owl too huh?"

I laugh a bit to myself. It feels awkward. This man makes me nervous and I have no idea why.

"Yeah. Guess you could say that."

He laughs back. So that's a good sign right? Neither of us make any attempt to move. He shifts his weight from side to side while pulling out a packet of cigarettes. He lights it, takes a huge puff, then offers his free hand to me.

"Bigby Wolf."

I had already taken his hand when he shares his name. I seize up. He is the big bad wolf. I remember Snow White telling me that he's the sheriff and if I had a crime to report it goes straight to him. Part of me is afraid. I know he's done some pretty horrific stuff back in the homelands, but the other side of me is resentful. I bet he's just like Snow White, who couldn't, and still hasn't, gotten me a place of residence within the community. Snow said she would contact me ASAP to house me. It's been five months and I've still heard noth-

"Hey."

Bigby's hand is now on my shoulder.  
He seems a tiny bit saddened by my reaction but I couldn't help it. I shake myself off.

"Sorry, yeah. You can call me Sunny."

I try my best to flash him a smile to reinforce that I am fine.

"Sunny? Can't say I've heard of you."

"Yeah well I'm a forgetful fable I guess."

The bitterness leaks out of my voice no matter how hard I try to hide it.

"No. I'd remember you."

My head shots up showing off my bewilder expression. He simply smirks at me and taps his noise.

"Can't fool this noise."

For some reason I could feel my shoulders slump at little at that fact. I hope he hasn't noticed.

"Well... I should get going. Gotta get back to Holly with groceries before we open."

"Holly? You work at The Trip Trap?"

"Yeah, for about two weeks now. Holly gave me a bartender job when I..."

My voice trials off before I end up casting my eyes off to the side. I'm not about to tell this man/wolf that I was going to sell my body for money.

"You should come by sometime. Monday nights are usually mostly Fables so it's pretty quite then."

Changing the subject seemed to distract him somewhat, enough at least to avoid questioning.

"Sure. I'll do that."

I smile awkwardly then wave.

"See you around then."

He nods at me before we part ways. I only take a few steps before glancing over my shoulder to catch another glance of the big bad wolf. I have to physically shake myself before I could move in the direction of the shops. I have to get him out of my head. Mhm... Let's see, what should I get as a reward for my first full weeks pay of working hard...


End file.
